Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to sharing digital content and, more specifically, to techniques for a collaboration server network connection indicator.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, a variant of techniques are implemented to share digital content across different computer devices (client devices), facilitated by a collaboration server. As a general matter, during such content sharing sessions (“collaboration sessions”), a shared workspace that includes various types of digital content (“assets”) is simultaneously displayed on multiple client devices at different physical locations via the collaboration server. For example, the shared workspace can be simultaneously displayed on a local client device (used by a local user) as well as one or more remote client devices (used by one or more remote users), where each local and remote client device is connected to the collaboration server via a network connection. Typically, the different participants in a given collaboration session access and use the assets included in the shared workspace during the collaboration session. For example, the various assets may be repositioned or resized during a given collaboration session, and new assets may be added within the shared workspace during the collaboration session. In that regard, when a given user interacts with a particular asset in the shared workspace during a collaboration session, those interactions are reflected or mirrored on each client device participating in the collaboration session and displaying the shared workspace.
During the collaboration session, performance issues may arise that degrade the quality of the collaboration session and overall user experience. Such performance issues may include, for example and without limitation, long latencies, jittering, dropped connections, and other disruptions that reduce the quality of the collaboration session. The cause of such performance issues may reside anywhere within the collaboration system. For example, for a particular client device, the cause of a performance issue may originate from the client device, the collaboration server, or the network connection between the client device and the collaboration server. Accordingly, there is no easy or efficient way for a user to determine the cause of a performance issue that arises during a collaboration session. Without understanding the cause of a given performance issue, a user may attempt to resolve the issue incorrectly. For example, the cause of the performance issues may originate from the network connection, but the user may instead try to reboot the client device, contact the IT department that services the client device, or contact the vendor of the client device in an attempt to resolve the performance issue. Misdirected attempts to resolve performance degradation issues during a collaboration session waste valuable time and are frustrating for users.
In addition, remote participants in a given collaboration session cannot easily convey information to a local participant in the collaboration session about a performance issue that may be related to the local client device used by that local participant or a remote client device used by one of the remote participants. For example, a local user may be giving a presentation to various remote users and not know that one of the remote client devices is experiencing a performance issue and, consequently, may continue with the presentation without waiting for the performance issue to be resolved. As a result, the remote user may miss a portion of the presentation. As a general matter, when performance issues arise during a collaboration session, the participants usually have to discuss those issues verbally or through instant messaging, which disrupts the collaboration session and wastes valuable time.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art are more effective techniques for informing participants of possible causes of performance issues that arise during collaboration sessions.